Whatever It Takes
by HarleyChick91
Summary: Teriah/Bering and Wells crossover. After Mariah finds out Tessa blackmailed the women's murder club, the girls get a surprise visit from a mysterious woman. When one is threatened, will the other's sacrifice save them?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** No one dies! Happy ending but angst (Teriah). Set after the warehouse moved. So, what would be warehouse14. Myka and HG consult/work in WH14. For those Teriah fans who want to know more about Bering and Wells: Warehouse13 is free on amazon right now. Those B&W fans who want to know Teriah: PM me and I'll help. Enjoy!

 **Chapter One**

 **Mariah's POV**

It had been two weeks since I found out what Tessa did and also what Victoria did to her. I moved back in but we were growing apart more by the day. Mostly because of me. I couldn't get over the fact that Tessa blackmailed my mother. Everything was falling apart and it was killing me. _I wish we could be happy again. Like we were around Halloween. If I think about this too long I'm going to cry again. I can't let that happen._

Eventually, I gave up reading the same page of my book and tossed it to the floor. "Goodnight."

Glancing at me, Tessa closed hers. "Don't let me keep you awake." Getting up, the musician flipped off the lights and got back in bed. "Goodnight."

"Ladies."

Both of us jumped hearing a voice from the shadows. The light flipped back on revealing a mysterious woman standing at the foot of our bed. She looked to be in her early twenties but there was something much wiser about her. "Who the hell are you?" We spoke in unison. Looking around, we saw a large man standing by the door.

"The name is Donovan. The two of you need to come with me."

"We're not going anywhere with you." Tessa spoke firmly. When Donovan's brow rose, the musician realized what she said but didn't care. "Mariah's not going anywhere with you."

 _Why is she protective even now? After I've been so cold to her._ "She's right. We're not going with you. We don't know anything about you. And how did you get in?"

"Through a door." The woman's voice was laced with sarcasm. "You will come with me one way or another."

"Excuse me?!" Tessa got to her feet.

Raising a hand, the woman smirked. "By your own will. I wouldn't force you or Miss. Copeland to do anything you wouldn't want to. That's not part of the design."

Finding my words, I was finally able to speak. "What design? How do you know who we are?"

"I know everything about you and Miss. Porter. Stolen at birth, raised in a cult, married to said cult leader, con artist hired by Victor Newman to haunt your mother by pretending to be your dead sister's ghost. After a very long redemption, Mrs. Newman became your mother. You had a long line of failed relationships before you met Miss. Porter. Both of you fell in love with one another long before you would actually admit it. Two years later, you're living together. Very much still in love whether you believe it or not." Turning her attention to Tessa, she began bullet pointing her life. "As for you, Miss. Porter, you were forced to do things you aren't proud of to protect your sister. Eventually, you came to Genoa City hoping to gain stability in a long con. Just like Miss. Copeland used to do." Donovan's words stung. They reminded me that I have no right to judge Tessa. "However, you never meant to actually fall in love. Now, you'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe even if she hates you for it. Am I right?"

Glancing towards me, Tessa bit her lip. "Yes, all of it."

"Judging by the look on your face, I've reminded you of a few things." She smirked. "Correct, Miss. Copeland?"

"Yes." I muttered. "Still, doesn't mean we're going anywhere with you. Ever."

"We shall see." The lights flickered off. When they came back on, she and her bodyguard were gone.

"Who…" I looked to Tessa for answers. "Was that?"

"Apparently someone who knows everything about both of us." She paused. "And who wants us for some reason."

"What should we do?" _No matter how irritated I am with Tessa, I still want her safe._

"According to Donovan, there's nothing we can do. I don't think she's a threat." Sitting back on the bed, Tessa rubbed her temples. "Was what she said true? You were a con artist too? I know you were hired by Victor and you said you had a record…"

"Yeah. It's true." Ashamed, I looked down. "Before I came to GC, I was a con artist." Anger radiated from the musician. "I know. I have no right to judge you for blackmailing or trying to con Noah. I've done some pretty messed up stuff too."

"Like Donovan said, I blackmailed Nikki to keep you and Crystal safe. I knew it was wrong but I wanted to protect you from those thugs. They beat me and threatened you. When I wasn't paying as quickly as they wanted, they followed you. Called you and hung up. They warned me by going after you." She paused again. "The one other person I care for the most."

"Tessa…" My voice wavered. "I'm sorry."

Hazel eyes studied me. "Apology accepted but I'm still mad. Unlike you, my love never wavered. Donovan wants us for something but she's not a threat."

 _Tessa has that crease on her forehead. She's debating something. I know that look._ "What are you thinking?"

"She's not a con artist. She knows something we don't." Laughing sarcastically, Tessa shook her head. "It can't be."

"Can't be…what?"

"When I was looking through the Dark Horse files and decrypting them, I lurked on the dark web. Buried deep on the outskirts were files about some place. It was government run and I think she ran it? There was a file of agents. Her, some guy, and a female H.G. Wells."

"The…Father of Science Fiction…H.G. Wells?" The smallest of grins ghosted Tessa's features. "I paid a lot of attention to the things you liked when Noah didn't."

"Aaah, okay." Tessa smirked.

"Oh, like you didn't?" I tried to keep a straight face but was failing quickly.

"Nope." She shook her head. "I don't know that you secretly love veena sausages cut ¾ in with squeeze cheese inside."

The blood drained from my face. "How did you-"

"Late night snack at Sharon's when I lived with you." Tessa's smile grew wider. "I almost walked into the kitchen as you ate the last few."

"That night you ate the leftover cheesecake."

""You"? Don't you mean "we"?" Tessa laughed. "You ate it too. We had a mini fork fight over the last bite."

Remembering that night caused warmth to fill my chest. "We had some good times, didn't we?"

"We did." The musician spoke carefully. "We still can… It's not out of the realm of possibility."

Nodding slowly, I agreed. "Eventually…"

"I'll take what I can get." She smiled. "Because everything is better with you. Even when it's not that great."

 _Damn it, Tessa! It's stuff like that, that makes my heart explode into confetti._ "Such a way with words."

Grinning playfully, the raven-haired woman made herself comfortable against the pillows. "I am a musician after all. Goodnight, Mariah."

"Goodnight, Tessa." I paused. "Hopefully no one else appears in our apartment."

"Yeah, hopefully."

Getting comfortable, I nuzzled my pillow. _Remembering old times makes me fall in love with her all over again. Not like I fell out of love with her. I want to be like that again. But can we? So much stuff has happened between us._

Xxx

 **Myka's POV**

Closing my book, I smiled seeing Helena sauntering towards me. "Hey, you."

"Hello, Darling." Tilting my chin upwards, the author kissed me gently. "We have the library to ourselves…"

Placing my hands on slender hips, I guided the older woman to straddle my lap. "You know as well as I do, when we're in the warehouse, we're never alone."

"That's true. But there's no better library. And I always loved that fireplace."

"Along with other things that have happened in front of said fireplace." I smirked taking in the sight before me.

"That too." A soft chuckle vibrated Helena's throat. "Besides, Claudia knows we can't keep our hands off each other." Dipping her head, the inventor kissed down my neck. "Even after all these years." She paused. "Hello, by the way."

"I'm quite good at getting here before anything happens. The two of you have scared me for life on multiple occasions."

"Well you didn't knock." Swiftly, Helena sat beside me, laying her legs over mine. "Hello, Claudia."

"Hey, Claud." I swatted my wife's shoulder. "She's our boss now. Be nice before she fires us both."

"As if I'd fire my two moms."

Laughing, I leaned my head back. _The one time Pete makes a joke and it sticks._ "How can we help?"

"I need you and HG to visit a young couple in Genoa City, Wisconsin."

"Have they found an artifact?" I tried desperately to pay attention as Helena played with my hair. Her short nails gently scratching my head. _She knows just how to make me squirm. It's killing me!_

"No. But I think they're about to create one. I want you to be there in case there's a problem after it's been made. The emotions between Copeland and Porter are very intense. Both in love and pain. They're a bit like the two of you, actually."

"Oh." We spoke in unison.

"Go pack. I'd stay about a week. All the information you need about the women is at the B&B along with your plane tickets."

Arriving at the B&B, two files were on our bed. Taking a seat, Helena flipped though one of the files. "It looks like these two need our help. Copeland has a sorted past but not as sorted as Porter's."

"Yeah. From Claud's notes, it sounds like they're in love but have tension because of the blackmailing and lies." _Why do I feel like we're playing matchmaker again? We've done something like this before with Lena and Kara. It was nice having some alone time with Helena though. This town looks like it's run by two families. The Newmans and the Abbotts. Lovely._

"Seems like we're playing match maker again." Helena laughed. "At least this time no one is a superhero."

"You know me too well." I smiled at the older woman. "I was just thinking about them."

With a wink, Helena closed the file. "Well, I am your wife, Darling. Of course, I know what you're thinking. That was a very fun wedding."

"It was but I highly doubt Copeland and Porter will be walking down the aisle anytime soon." Pulling out my suitcase, I started packing. "Let's get packed and go. Our plane leaves in an hour."

It was late when we checked in to the GCAC. Neither of the women would be awake at this hour, so we decided to call it a night. After showering, Helena and I snuggled under the fluffy comforter of the king-sized bed. "What's our plan, Darling?"

"Let's get to know these two women a little before we figure out what artifact could come from them." Laying my head on Helena's chest, I sighed listening to her heartbeat. "Let's see if they can work things out on their own before we step in."

"Because their emotional state will define whether the artifact is a good one or a bad one?" Wrapping her arms around me, the author kissed my hair.

"Exactly." I snuggled into my wife.

"Well, from what Claudia has told us, the best place to meet people is at Crimson Lights. Or, we could hire Porter to show us around. She is unemployed."

"That's too suspicious. We'll figure it out in the morning."

Xxx

The next morning, Helena and I decided to explore the town; starting with Crimson Lights. Entering the coffeeshop, we noticed Sharon Newman, Mariah's mother, behind the counter. A taller Latino man leaned against the counter. _From Claudia's notes, he's the lead detective in town. Rey, I believe?_

"Coffee, Darling?" Helena spoke softly. "If you keep staring like that, we'll draw attention."

 _She's right._ "Yeah." Approaching the counter, I smiled. "Two coffees please."

"Of course. Let me finish his order." Sharon's brow creased. "I've never seen you two before. New in town?"

"Yes. Take your time." Turning towards Helena, I looked around the shop just as a redhead walked in. Tapping my wife's arm, I motioned towards the door.

"Is that?" I nodded. "This might be easier than we thought."

"You're British?" Sharon seemed surprised.

"Yes." Helena flashed her award-winning smile. "I am."

"What brings you to the states?" The woman placed two mugs in front of us.

"Originally, not the best intentions. But that changed in the most unexpected way." Helena smiled at me in a way that always made my heart melt.

"Oh…the two of you are…" Sharon's defenses rose quickly.

"Married." Helena and I spoke in unison.

The action gained Copeland's attention. Curious green eyes studied us as she walked towards the counter. "Hey, Mom. Can I get my regular order?"

"Of course, Sweetie."

"Thank you for the coffees." Paying, Helena and I moved to a corner table. Keeping an eye on Copeland, we discussed the townspeople and the town's attractions. The whole time, we were being watched by the redhead.

"She wants to ask us something." Helena kept her voice down.

"Claud said she was curious and very bold. If she wants to know something, she'll ask." Sipping my coffee, I knew it was only a matter of time before curiosity would get the best of the TV host.

"Maybe if we leave, she'll follow us?" Placing her hand on mine, the older woman smiled. "I think her and Porter are the only lesbian couple in this town. She may want to ask questions that only we can answer."

"Oh, is that why you're flashing your charms more than usual?"

"Not exactly. I do love making you giddy." Helena flicked her tongue quickly against her teeth causing me to shiver. _That tongue and all the endless wonders it can give._ Gulping the last bit of my coffee, I glared as my wife laughed. "Come now, Darling, we have a town to see." Lacing my arm through the inventor's, I glanced towards the counter with a smile and wave. Cautiously, Sharon waved back.

Once outside, we waited by our rental car a moment. As if on cue, Copeland came outside. "Wait." Turning towards the young woman, her pace faltered. "You're new in town?"

"We are, yes." I paused. "You're the host of GC Buzz, right?"

"I am."

"And you're married to Tessa Porter?" Helena baited, knowing full well they were just dating.

"No. Not…we're just…dating." She stammered. Dark brows creased. "How did you know that?"

I pulled attention back to me. "You're quite popular in this town. It takes a lot of courage to openly care about someone."

"The two of you would know, right?" Glancing to our hands, she pointed. "Since you're married."

"We understand how hard it can be to love someone who everyone doesn't care for." Helena added with a grimace. "Myka's friends and family didn't care for me much. Not that I gave them reason to like me at first. But, Myka never gave up on me. Even when I had given up on myself. Her love for me never wavered."

Copeland's eyes grew a moment, blood draining from her face. "I can understand that." Her voice tailed off.

"Porter?" I offered.

"Yeah…"

Remembering our conversation from last night, I gave into Helena's idea. "We don't know our way around here. We had to ask about Crimson Lights. Would you and Porter be interested in showing us around? Being our tour guides so to speak?"

"I'll need to ask Tessa but I couldn't. Too much work." She paused. "Do you have a number I can contact you at?"

"Yes." Jotting down my cell number, I also gave our room number. "We're staying at the GCAC. You can reach us there too." Smiling, I gave Copeland a piece of paper.

"Thanks." The younger woman's gaze held on us a moment. "I gotta go. I'll run this by Tessa and get back to you."

"Sounds good. We'll hear from you soon." With that, Copeland got in her car and drove off.

"She'll definitely call." Helena spoke triumphantly.

"What makes you so sure?" Starting the car, I pulled out of the parking lot.

"Because no one can say no to my accent. You know this better than anyone." With a wink, the older woman leaned over to kiss my cheek. "Or my charms."

"Vixen."

Xxx

 **Tessa's POV**

"So, a British woman and her wife want us to show them around town?" I took a bite of my sandwich. "Thank you for lunch."

"You're welcome. I'm just glad to have lunch with you." Mariah bit her lip. "At home."

"Me too." _She wants to know and so do I._ "Are we going to be okay? Do you think we'll be able to move forward?"

"After last night, a lot of things became clear to me." Taking my hand in hers, she squeezed. "I shouldn't have judged you like I did. I should have seen things from your point of view. Instead of shutting you out, I should have let you in."

"All of this after one person breaks into our apartment?"

Smirking, Mariah sighed. "I'm trying to be serious."

"I know you are." Kissing the woman's hand, I smiled. "We're going to make it. Nothing can keep us apart." Going back to my food, I took another bite. "Now, about these two women…"

"Yeah, they're new in town and don't know their way around. Why not be their tour guide? They seem pretty nice." Mariah shrugged.

"And they're married?" She nodded. Something in Mariah's eyes made me trust her. Somehow trust these two women I had never met before. "I'll do it. How do we get in touch with them?"

"I have their number. They're staying at the club." Pulling out her phone, Mariah dialed a number. Putting the call on speaker, she waited.

"Hello."

"Hey, this is Mariah Copeland. We spoke earlier at Crimson Lights."

"Miss. Copeland, have you talked to Miss. Porter about our offer?"

"Yes, she's in. Although, you can call me Mariah."

"And call me Tessa. Especially if I'm going to be your tour guide."

"Excellent." I could hear another voice in the background.

"Yes, I was about to suggest that. Cool it."

"How can I cool it with-"

"HELENA!" Scoffing, the woman apologized for her wife. "Why don't we all get more acquainted tonight? Dinner on us at the GCAC. Does eight work for you both?"

Trying not to laugh, I remembered how often I tormented Mariah while she was on the phone. Glancing towards the redhead, my brow rose. "Eight works for us."

"Great. See you both then."

After saying our goodbyes, Mariah ended the call. "Her wife reminds me of you."

Smirking, I folded my arms. "And why is that?"

"Because she torments Myka like you torment me when I'm on the phone with Kyle or Lola."

Grinning, I ran my leg up the inside of Mariah's. "Like that?" My head tilted slightly. Anything to cause the redhead to twitch under my gaze.

"Yes." Mariah breathed. Shaking her head, she cleared her throat. "Uh…"

"Sorry." I smiled sheepishly. "I forget that we're not totally back yet."

"It's okay, Tessa." Smiling, she took my hand again. "We're not going backwards in the relationship. Just…staying put for a little bit."

 _Hearing that breaks my heart._ "Are you staying here or moving out?"

"Here. This is my home. No matter what. We just need to start over in a way."

"Whatever it takes." Looking down at my phone, I grumbled. "Guess you should get back to work."

"Yeah." Sliding back into her coat, Mariah hesitated.

Feeling her eyes on me, I became worried. "Is everything okay?"

"Mmhmm. I'm just missing one thing." She walked towards me.

"What's that?"

"This." Cupping my face, Mariah kissed me softly. "See you tonight."

Smiling into the kiss, I couldn't resist stealing another. "I thought we were standing still." Letting my hands rest on Mariah's hips, I caressed the patch of skin just under her shirt.

"That doesn't mean we're going to act like platonic roommates." The redhead chose her words carefully. "I wanted to kiss you for so long and after I did, I wanted to do it more. Now that I can, as long as we're together, I plan to keep kissing you."

"Even if you're mad at me?" _I can just imagine Mariah being that angry meme penguin who's pasting a heart to a piece of paper with glitter. Don't laugh. Don't laugh._

Dark brows creased. "What are you not laughing at?"

"Nothing." My smile grew when Mariah smirked. "A meme that I saw…"

Shaking her head, she laughed. "We need to find you a job. Filling out applications and resumes keeps you online too much."

"See you tonight."

Eight came and we entered the club. Walking into the dining area, I stopped seeing the women we were there to meet. Noticing my shock, Mariah turned. "What's wrong?"

"That's them. The ones from the file." _No way. No way this could be happening._

"Really?" She looked between me and them. "The agents? You sure?"

"Yeah…I'm sure." _What else was in that file? I can't remember._

"Should we still meet with them? They've not seen us yet."

"Yeah. We should. Something tells me we can trust them. I don't know what it is."

Studying me a moment, Mariah nodded slowly. "Okay. Let's go." I followed the redhead towards the two agents. "Hey."

"Mariah, Tessa, good to see you." Myka stood to offer us each a seat. "Thank you for joining us." Light green eyes studied me. "You know who we are, don't you?"

"She's a clever girl. She probably does." Helena added with a knowing smirk.

Taking a seat, I kept my eyes on the British woman. "I do but I'm not sure how." My head tilted. "You're a woman, over a hundred and fifty years old, and here."

"Wait," Mariah's eyes grew. "This is…the..fff…" All I did was nod. "Wow…"

"Question is: how do you know us?" Myka took a sip of wine.

"I saw some files I shouldn't have."

"Mmhmm. When you were decrypting files at Dark Horse?" Before Mariah or I could speak, Myka continued. "We know all about the both of you. Our boss, you know her as Donovan, sent us. While this wasn't exactly how we wanted to meet you both, it's better than nothing."

My defenses rose. "Like I told her, we're not going anywhere with any of you."

"Tessa, we're not here to cause trouble. What Myka said was true. We do need a tour guide." HG continued. "While we weren't exactly truthful, will you still take the job?"

"Job?" Mariah and I spoke in unison.

"Yes. We didn't expect you to do this for free." Myka smiled at the waiter. "Two more glasses please and another bottle of wine." After we all placed our dinner orders, the agent continued. "While we can't tell you the exact reason we're here, we can answer some of the many questions you both have."

"Just not here." HG added. "Too many people."

"Gossip travels fast here. Both of us know that from personal experience." Mariah smirked.

"And by being new in town, we've already drawn attention to ourselves. Especially because I'm married to a woman and British. As your mother has pointed out."

"Yes, Sharon isn't one for subtlety. You'd think by being in the Psychology field she would be." Taking Mariah's hand, I squeezed. "She's not been too happy with my relationship."

"Yes, we know about the blackmailing." _I wonder what HG did to Myka. Obviously, something pretty bad to get that type of sympathy._

"Not my best decision in the world but I couldn't think of another way to protect Mariah and my sister."

"Crystal's doing very well, by the way." Myka gained my full attention. "After reading your file, we checked in on her. She's got a great job and flourishing. Just like her big sister."

"I don't have a job. A steady one." Relief washed over me hearing about my sister. "I'm glad she's doing well."

Our food came and we all began eating. I was starving and had to keep reminding myself to slow down. "You said earlier that you couldn't tell us why you were in town but what can you tell us?"

The younger agent dabbed her mouth with a napkin. "You have questions about us. Why not start there?" She paused, eyes flashing to me. "Within reason."

Turning my attention to HG, curiosity got the best of me. "How are you here? And how are you…you?"

"A time machine of sorts. The writer everyone believes to be H.G. Wells was actually my brother. I supplied the ideas and the research. He supplied the mustache."

"A time machine?" Mariah questioned. "Are those real?"

"It wasn't exactly a time machine. Physical time travel is impossible. Trust me; I know." Sorrow washed over the older woman as she spoke. "I was cryogenically frozen and kept safe. A little over eight years ago, I was unfrozen. This one," HG grinned as she motioned towards her wife. "Eventually, saved me from myself. She's forgiven me countless times for unforgivable things. I literally, owe her my life. Myka's saved me in the past. When we worked together, we fell in love. I tried to fight my feelings for years but gave up when I thought I was going to lose her for good."

"Sound familiar?" The curly-haired agent smiled knowingly.

"Little bit." We answered.

Taking Mariah's hand in mine, I kissed her knuckles. "As you know, Mariah's forgiven me for quite a bit as well."

"One thing that Helena told me, she didn't mean it the way I took it but, she said: don't walk away from your truth. At the time, she meant my job. Deep down, I knew she also meant not to walk away from us."

 **A/N:** **I have written a Bering and Wells/SuperCorp crossover. If you're interested, here's the link. FFN: s/12407710/1/A-Curiosity-Unlike-Any-Other**

 **AO3: /works/10331111**


	2. Chapter 2

**HG's POV**

"That's not exactly how I wanted you to make contact with them but anything is better than nothing I guess." The young Caretaker paused in thought. "What exactly did Tessa see in the file?"

"Not much. Just names and that we're a government organization." I answered, seeing Myka exit the bathroom in a towel. _Mmm. She's still so sexy._

"HG, focus!"

"Yes, Darling?" Moving my attention back to the Farnsworth, I smiled.

"Can she be trusted?"

"Honestly, all she wants is to be happy with Mariah." Myka answered from the dresser.

"Sounds a lot like you guys."

"It does, doesn't it?" Glancing towards a very nude Warehouse agent, I licked my lips.

"Can you two seriously not cool it for five minutes?"

"Not when the B&B is filled with people constantly. We've scarred some of the newbies."

"You've scarred me!" Claudia cringed. "No one should see their, basically, adopted big sister and…sister-in-law doing…things."

"You learned to knock, didn't you?" I smirked. "One day I'm like your mother and the next sister-in-law. Make up your mind."

"I'll make up my mind when I'm as old as you." Claudia scoffed playfully. Myka stiffened a laugh as she got dressed. "Does she wear any jewelry on a daily basis?"

"Yes, a necklace."Myka plopped down on the bed and snuggled against me. "If I can work it into a conversation tomorrow, I will. What does a necklace have to do with Mariah and Tessa?"

"If they do make an artifact, it'll probably be that. An artifact is made when an item, a person, and an extraordinary moment meet. Before the warehouse moved, Mrs. F showed me one being created. A woman jumped in front of a bullet to save a baby during a robbery. Since it didn't cause trouble, we let the woman keep it."

"What did it do?"

"I'm not sure. She wasn't killed when the bullet hit her. It grazed her shoulder instead."

"Interesting." Thinking about the young women, I couldn't help but see the parallels between Myka and I. "They seemed to be in a good place at dinner. I wonder what happened after you showed up in their apartment that night."

"They took a trip down memory lane and then earlier today they talked about their relationship."

"How do you know that?" Myka's brow creased. "Wait, have you been lurking around again?"

"No. But I have ears on them. I'll deactivate the bug after this is over." Shaking my head, I remembered when Irene did the same to me when I hid the Astrolabe. "Make sure they don't find it. Tessa already has some PTSD from being watched by Victoria Newman."

"We'll make sure to get it before we leave." Turning away from Claudia and Myka, I yawned. "It's late, Darling. Myka and I need our beauty sleep. We'll report back tomorrow."

"Beauty sleep, right. Goodnight you two."

"Later, Claud."

Closing the Farnsworth, I placed it on the nightstand. "Ready for bed, Darling?"

"Mmhmm." A mischievous smile curled the agent's lips. "Very ready for bed…" Cupping my wife's cheek, I guided her in for a kiss.

Xxx

The next morning, Myka and I woke around nine so we could spend some time together before we met Tessa at Crimson Lights for lunch. "We're here for a week but I don't think it'll take Tessa that long to show us around. How are we going to keep them close?"

Looking up from my book, I thought. "Not sure. Honestly, if we make Tessa feel safe around us, Mariah will follow suit. It may take at least two days for her to show us around. We don't want to keep the two love birds apart after all."

"True." Myka buttoned her shirt and fluffed her hair. "If we keep Tessa busy enough until Mariah gets done with work, we can keep an eye on both of them. With their current financial state, I highly doubt they'll say no to dinner on us." The curly-haired agent paused with a laugh. "I went to plenty of events I hated just for the free food. Signed up for so many things for a free cup of coffee or doughnut."

"Was this pre-med or pre-law?" Walking behind Myka, I wrapped my arms around my wife. "Why not undo just one more button?" Carefully, I unbuttoned just enough of her shirt to show a peak of cleavage.

"Are you sure you'll be able to focus? If you flirt too much, you might make Tessa nervous. I don't know how intimate she and Mariah are."

"They've been dating six months. Neither are virgins. They've wanted each other for over a year. Why wouldn't they?" Brushing hair away, I kissed Myka's neck. "I mean, we lasted a month before getting frisky in the warehouse."

"In the H.G. Wells section." A grin slowly made its way to Myka's face. Then the lightest of flushes tinted her cheeks.

"So many adventures…" Kissing the woman's cheek, I filtered through the closet to choose an outfit. _I can't wear a button down. That twinning thing couples go through is real. At least at work we can call it business wear._

Tessa was waiting at a table, coffee mug in hand, as we entered the coffeeshop. A soft smile played at the woman's lips. _She must be texting Mariah._ Looking up from her phone, Tessa's smile grew. "Hey, guys. How was your morning?"

"It was pleasant." I grinned, glancing towards Myka. Both women blushed. _Maybe she was right. They haven't had sex._

Shaking her head, Myka smirked. "I'm going to get three coffees to-go. Does the barista know your normal order?"

"None for me, thanks. I had coffee at home with Mariah before work and two cups before you got here." As the younger agent ordered coffee, I waited for Tessa to finish her coffee. _I'd rather not have coffee spewed all over me._ "Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I'm just waiting for you to finish your coffee before we talk shop."

"Oh." Emptying her mug, Tessa placed it back on the table. "I've figured out all the hot spots to show you first then the secondary spots. It should only take two days. I don't know your schedules so I planned it out so we would be done around five."

"How professional and efficient of you. How does three hundred for three days sound? Add an extra day, just in case."

Choking on her own saliva, the young woman coughed. "Are…are you serious?"

All I did was nod. "Half now and the rest in three days. All cash."

"That's…that's amazing. Thank you."

"We ready to go?" Myka gave me a cup before turning to the young musician. "Tessa, have you driven a Cadillac Escalade before?"

Hazel eyes grew with excitement. "No…"

Dangling the rental keys, Myka smiled. "Do you want to?"

"Oh my gosh, yes!" Catching the keys, Tessa became giddy. "This is going to be awesome."

"Lead the way." I motioned towards the door.

With a new pep in her step, the raven-haired musician made her way towards the SUV. "I can't believe I get to drive this!" Chuckling softly, Myka and I slid into the backseat. "Sorry. Sorry."

"You're fine, Darling." Swatting my arm, Myka glared. "What?"

"Stop flirting with the driver." She grinned. "I'd rather us not die in a fiery crash because you can't keep the seduction at a minimum. Not everyone is used to your charms."

Glancing at us in the mirror, Tessa laughed. "No amount of seduction or charm will waver my loyalty towards Mariah. I worked too hard to get her back."

"I understand that quite well. It took a long time to regain Myka's trust. Now that I have it," taking my wife's hand, I kissed her knuckles. "I never want to lose it again."

"Do you mind me asking what happened between the two of you?" Pulling onto main street, Tessa began telling us about the town.

"At first, I used her trust and loyalty against her. I betrayed her by using her feelings to my advantage. After we finally got back on good terms, I was sent away on a job assignment. For Myka's safety, I couldn't tell her where I was. When I did eventually contact her, I was living with a man. Worst decision I've ever made."

"Not the worst but up there. Definitely the top five." Myka laughed.

"Yes, right up there with trying to destroy the world with a giant fork, as Peter would say."

"What?" Hazel eyes caught us in the mirror.

"Helena!" Swatting me again, Myka glared. "Anyway, yes, it took a long time to trust Helena again. When I found out she gave her life to save me, it channeled my feelings. When I saw her with a man, it killed me. I could see the hollowness in her eyes and she was a shell of the woman she once was."

"What made you finally get together?"

"The place we worked for, where we currently consult now, was moving. When Helena realized I was sort of jobless, she came after me."

"That's really romantic. Honestly, your boss jumpstarted Mariah and I on the right track. After she broke in, we went down memory lane and realized even though we weren't in a good place, we still were protective of each other. It was good even when it wasn't."

"I'm glad we could help."

Over the next few hours, Tessa drove us around town and told us everything we needed to know about Genoa City and its residents. _If I didn't understand drive and a competitive nature, I would bet Victor Newman had an artifact. Everything has been quiet in town lately so I don't think they've created the artifact yet. I wonder when they will?_

"What was it like in the 1800's for a woman? I imagine being in a line of work dominated by men, it was difficult." The musician's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"It was rather difficult. It was easier for people to believe the idea of a time machine then in the reality that a woman thought one up. Thankfully, most of the men I worked with knew I was a force to be reckoned with."

"Yeah, I get that vibe from you." Instantly, Myka and I shared a questioning glance. "It's a figure of speech…" She paused. "What was that look for?"

"No…no reason." Myka stammered. Looking at her watch, the agent continued. "It's five, do you think Mariah is off work yet? We could all grab a bite to eat."

Curious eyes studied us in the mirror. "Why do you want to keep an eye on us?"

"We just want to get acquainted with the two of you." I smiled trying to distract Tessa.

"As long as the acquaintance-ness stays fully clothed and only friendship."

"Like the friendship you had with Mariah?" I grinned. "Ow. Will you stop slapping me?"

"Ignore my wife." Myka glared. "She can't turn the flirting off. I can assure you, no lines will be crossed."

"Let me call her." Dialing her girlfriend, Tessa waited.

Hey, Tessa. How's the tour of GC going?"

"Great. We're done with day one. Want to grab dinner? The four of us."

"I've got a few more things to do. Why don't you all come by? It won't take long to finish up." There was hope in the young woman's voice.

"Is that alright with you guys?" Tessa glanced back at us.

"Sure." We answered in unison.

"We'll be there in a few minutes. I can give them a tour of the studio while you finish."

"Sounds great. See you soon." After saying their goodbyes, Mariah ended the call.

 _It's definitely going to be a good artifact. They love each other too much for it to be a bad one. I just wonder what's going to cause it to happen. I know a couple's first time can be significant but not powerful enough to create an artifact. No one is that good. It's not a selfless act._

Xxx

 **Tessa's POV**

Arriving at the studio, everyone was buzzing around as we entered. "Tessa!" Mariah waved us over. "Glad you could make it." Kissing my cheek, the redhead smiled. "You know the studio just as well as I do, give HG and Myka a tour. I should be done when you get back." Bright green eyes moved from me to the two agents behind me. "Hey, guys."

"Hello, Darling." HG spoke with her crisp tone.

Myka shook her head. "Hey, Mariah."

"We'll be back shortly." Ushering the two women around the studio, I showed them everything I had access to. HG liked all the tech more than anything. Myka enjoyed seeing how excited her wife was.

Returning to Mariah's office, she had just finished packing her bag. Knocking lightly gained her attention. "Perfect timing." Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder, Mariah locked up her office. "Where do you want to get dinner?"

"Top of Newman tower sounds good." Myka offered. "How about there?" Dread filled Mariah and myself knowing the prices.

"On us." HG added. Before we could argue, the author continued. "Don't argue with me. I'm very stubborn."

"Oh, Lord she is." Myka groaned. "You have no idea how annoyingly stubborn she truly is."

"Newman tower it is." Lacing my arm through the redhead's, I led her towards the door. "Let's not irritate a woman who tried ending the world once already." I kept my voice low. "I've learned a lot about our friends today."

Since we were with two Secret Service agents, there was no waiting for a table. We were seated in a private section of the dining area. After placing our drink and food orders, the four of us were left to ourselves.

"Tessa tells us that after Claudia broke into your apartment, you took a trip down memory lane." HG began. "Don't swat at me." The Britishwoman warned her wife. "Both of them need a little nudge to open up. Sound familiar?"

Leaning back in her chair, Myka laughed. "Go ahead. If they don't want to answer, they won't."

"Claudia is Donovan?" I asked. Both women gave a simple nod.

"We knew her before she became Caretaker. We saw her grow up from a bratty teenager to the incredible woman she is today." Myka smiled. "I'm going to be in trouble for that."

"She knows you're right though." HG chuckled. "I was heartbroken when I thought I wouldn't see her grow up. She's become like a daughter to me."

"Yes. After she broke in, we remembered the past. The good times."

"And how even when things were bad, they were still better together than alone." Mariah added, taking my hand in hers.

"Exactly." I kissed the woman's hand. "The only thing that matters is being together."

Sharing a look, the two women shook their heads. "They are like us."

"Is that a compliment?" My brow rose.

"Or an insult?" Mariah scoffed.

"It's a good thing, Darling. Calm down." HG smirked.

By now, our food had arrived and we began eating. Over the next few hours, we learned a lot about the two agents and a vague description of their past together. Overall, it was a very enjoyable dinner and made both Mariah and I realize how lucky we were.

xxx

Once my tour job was over, HG and Myka finished paying me. It was nice being able to pay some bills. After taking Mariah lunch, I decided to walk around the park a little bit. Even though a lot of crap went down here, it was still peaceful and it held good memories for me.

Taking a seat near where I used to play, I remembered when Mariah would always come watch me. She'd try to secretly throw a twenty in my case when I wasn't looking but I always knew it was her. Smiling, I sipped my coffee. _I love her so much._ Subconsciously, I toyed with the necklace Mariah gave me when she came back from her trip. _I need to find a steady job so I can keep up my half of the bills. I hate that she has to pay everything right now. It's not fair._

Thinking about the past few days, warmth filled my chest remembering how happy HG and Myka were. _From everything they said, their early days were a lot like me and Mariah's. They would do anything to protect each other. Just like I'd do anything to protect Mariah._

"Ah, this park is so peaceful and beautiful." An older man, with fully gray hair and an expensive suit walked up. "Don't you think?" He smiled. "Mind if an old man takes a seat?"

"Uh, sure." Scooting over, I allowed the gentleman to sit. _I can't get a read on him. Maybe I'm just having an off day._

"Missing someone?" His voice was inviting. "That smile says it all."

"Yeah, she gets off work in a few hours. Just killing time until then."

"She?" He asked. "You're missing a woman?"

Feeling my defenses rise, I became cautious. "Yes, she's my girlfriend."

Raising his hands, he smiled. "I don't judge. More power to you for following your own path and loving who you wish."

"Thank you."

"Quite welcome." Holding out his hand, he smiled. "Dan Wair."

"Tessa." Shaking his hand, I reciprocated his smile.

"Porter?" His brows creased. "The famous musician?"

"Yes, except not famous." I groaned inwardly. "You must not be from around here. I made a few bad choices and got dropped from my music label."

"I'm sorry, Tessa. That's horrible."

"After the choices I've made, I deserve it. I'm just glad things are almost back to normal."

"Back to their original path?" His brow rose, a grin on his face. "How perfect."

Xxx

 **Mariah's POV**

Around nine, the door to our apartment opened. Closing my book, I tossed it onto the coffee table. "Tessa! You're home!" Wrapping my arms around the musician, I buried my face in her neck. "I was so worried."

"I'm fine, Babe. I didn't mean to worry you." Kissing my cheek, Tessa squeezed. "I lost track of time. I'm sorry."

Leaning back, I met the woman's gaze. "When you didn't answer my calls or texts, I was scared something had happened to you."

"Nothing happened." She smiled. "I'm fine." Cupping my face, she kissed me. "My battery died."

"Okay…" Yawning, I stretched. "Ready for bed?"

"Definitely." Before I could walk away, Tessa let her hands rest on my hips. Pulling me against her, she kissed my neck. Nipping a little too hard at my pulse point, I winced.

 _What's going on? She's being rough._ _Something's different._ "Tess," I breathed. "Not tonight. I just started my cycle. I feel gross."

"Okay, Babe." After changing and shutting off the lights, Tessa got into bed. "Goodnight, Mariah."

Cupping the musician's cheek, I kissed her. "Night, Tessa."

Xxx

Once Tessa sent me off to work, I called the studio. "Hey, Josh. I need a favor. Can you run things for today? I need to do something important."

"Sure, Mariah. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just keep this between us. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I hope everything's alright."

"Me too." Ending the call, I drove towards the club.

I nearly broke down the door of HG's and Myka's suite. "Please still be here." Starting to panic, I knocked harder. When the door cracked, I pushed my way in.

"Hey, hey. What's going on?" Myka took my shoulders. "Mariah, breathe."

"Something's happened to Tessa. The Tessa who came home last night isn't my Tessa. She hates when I call her "Tess" because it reminds her of Crystal. I called this person that and nothing happened. No reaction whatsoever. This sounds insane but I didn't know who else to come to."

"You were right to come to us." HG stepped forward. "What makes you think the woman who came home isn't your Tessa? Besides the name."

"She…" _I'm a private person! I can't…No. Mariah, you need to tell them this. They're safe._ "The person who came home last night was rough and tasted like liquorish. Also, Tessa never calls me "babe." She calls me "My Mariah" or something along those lines."

"Tasted?" HG's brow rose.

"Not like that!" Scoffing, I folded my arms. "When she kissed me. She tasted like liquorish. Both Tessa and I hate it. That's one of the inside jokes we have. There's no way she'd eat anything that tasted like it." Running a hand through my hair, I turned towards the door. "This is crazy. I should just go home."

"No!" Both women spoke.

Meeting their gaze, I frowned. "What's going on? What do you do exactly? You've been lying to Tessa and I for days."

"We…" The women shared a look.

"Tell her." Jumping, I recognized the voice. "That never gets old." Donovan laughed. Turning her attention to the agents, she became serious. "You can tell her. She's part of this now. There have been a few pings. I believe they have to do with whoever kidnapped Porter."

"Are you sure?" Myka's brow creased. "She's not warehouse authorized." A small grin twitched at the woman's lips.

"They're part of the design?" HG offered, intrigue clear.

"They are, yes. Now, fill her in. I brought Artie's bag. It has everything you may need." With a snap of her fingers, the lights flickered. When they came back, Donovan was gone.

"What design is she talking about? And what does Tessa and I have to do with a warehouse in South Dakota?" _This is all insane. But I can't go to anyone else._

"Whatever Tessa told you about the file she stumbled upon is true. Helena is H.G. Wells, Father of Science Fiction. We work for a secret government organization known to very few as Warehouse 13. We scour the world tracking down dangerous artifacts and putting them away so they won't destroy the world. Some artifacts are good but most are bad. They're created when a certain moment, object, and person meet. We were sent here because you and Tessa are going to create one. We don't know how. Claudia wouldn't tell us that. I know you have questions, but we don't have time for that if you want to save Tessa."

"Yes, whoever kidnapped her, seems to have a handful of artifacts. The-" HG groaned. "I'm going to destroy that damn ridding crop when I get my hands on it."

"Cecil B. DeMille's riding crop?"

"Yes." The older woman hissed. "At least we know Tessa didn't go on her own. She was forced." As Myka scrolled through a message Donovan sent, HG told me more about the crop. "It allows the user to bend a person to their will. I was forced to hold a gun to Myka's head because of it."

"That doesn't explain who came home to me last night."

Tapping her chin in thought, HG pursed her lips. "Was the person wearing a thimble on their finger?"

"What? I don't know. How could a thimble…"

"If it's Harriet Tubman's thimble, it gives the wearer the ability to take form of a person."

"That's a thing?" Both women nodded. "Who do you think is using it?" Turning to Myka, I started freaking out again. "Did your boss give you a picture of the person or a name?"

"No. Just an address." Sliding her phone into her pocket, Myka grabbed the large leather bag. "Let's go."

Half an hour later, we found ourselves at an abandoned warehouse outside of town. _I'm getting a bad feeling about this. What if we're too late and whoever kidnapped Tessa has hurt her or worse. What if I'm never going to see her smiling face again._

Before we went inside, Myka took me by the shoulders. "Stop. You're thinking so loud we can hear it. Knowing how alike you and Tessa are, there's no point in telling you to stay out here. You need to be quiet and do whatever we tell you. We don't want either of you hurt."

"She's right, Mariah." HG spoke softly. "You need to listen to us."

"Okay. I will. I trust you." With that, we entered the warehouse. Quietly, we wandered until hearing voices from a farther room. Getting closer, I froze. "Oh, God…"

"What?" Myka turned towards me. "Do you know who that is?"

"I do. He's, technically, my ex-husband. Ian drugged me and forced me to marry him. The marriage was annulled. I'm going to fucking kill him if he's hurt Tessa." Anger boiled in my veins.

"Mariah," HG stepped in front of me, cupping my face. "Breathe. I know that anger. You can't let it get to you. It'll grow like a caner and…you'll try to destroy the world with a giant fork. Like I did." Taking a few deep breathes, I felt myself calm slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm good."

"Why do you want me? Where are we?" _That's Tessa's voice. She's here and Ian was the one who kidnapped her!_

"Because you, my dear, are bait. You being here will draw young Mariah out. She wouldn't come to me on her own, so I went after the thing she loves most."

"I won't let you get away with this! If you hurt her-"

"Silence!" Ian yelled. Hearing a smack broke my heart.

Jolting forward, HG took hold of my shoulder. "Let Myka go first." I agreed silently.

Both women took out their guns. Kicking in the door, the curly-haired agent held her gun at the ready. "Let her go, Ian!"

"Who are y-" Ian's attention shifted to me. "Mariah, my lovely bride. You've finally come back to me."

"Your bride? I wouldn't marry you the first time. What makes you think I will now?" Tessa sat in a chair to Ian's right. Her face was bloody. Her arms behind her, probably cuffed. "Tessa…"

"Because I have her."

"Mariah? What are you doing here? He's going to-"

"Silence!" Pulling out the crop, Ian snapped it. A man cocked his gun and held it against Tessa's temple. "Mariah will become my bride once more. She will continue her path by my side."

"My path has nothing to do with you! My path-"

"Deals with her? In a studio apartment? Paying every bill because she can't keep a job. You're better off with me."

"I'll never be yours, Ian. Never." I spoke through gritted teeth. Rage building inside me.

"Fine." Bending the crop, the gunman turned the gun on me. "If I can't have you, neither can she. Kill her!"

"No!" Tessa lunged towards me, blocking the bullet.

"Tessa!" Catching the musician in my arms, everything around me faded away. "What have you done?" Blood started to stain the woman's top.

"I saved you." A goofy grin tugged at my girlfriend's face. "I told you, I'd do whatever it takes to protect you. Even if you hate me for it."

"Tessa…" Tears streamed down my face as her eyes fluttered shut and head bobbed to the side. "Noooo!"


End file.
